floater
noun
float·er ˈflō-tər 
1
a
: one that floats
b
: a person who floats something
2
: a person who votes illegally in various polling places
3
a
: a person without a permanent residence or regular employment
b
: a worker who moves from job to job
especially : one without fixed duties
4
: a pitched, thrown, or hit ball that moves through the air relatively slowly with little or no spin or rotation
5
: a policy insuring specific items of personal property (such as jewelry or art)
6
: a bit of optical debris (such as a dead cell or cell fragment) in the vitreous humor or lens that may be perceived as a spot before the eye
also : a spot in the visual field due to such debris —usually used in plural
7
US : floating holiday
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Finn: Jaylen up to 32 points with a floater in the lane to cut the Heat lead to 6. 
Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 21 May 2022 White looks to rebound: Derrick White spent extra time working on his floater Monday after missing two open layups in a rough start to his Game 1 experience. Mark Murphy, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2022 Pulliam shot faked a 3 and dribbled toward the free-throw line for his patented floater. San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2022 His rainbow floater, over the outstretched hands of a Westlake defender in the paint, wowed the crowed and got the Bears within 56-50 with 5:09 left in the game. David Dekunder, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Mar. 2022 Akinjo put Baylor ahead for good with a floater high off the glass for a 45-44 lead not long after Miles had put TCU up by eight with a four-point play. Schuyler Dixon, ajc, 9 Jan. 2022 Pohlen followed by splitting Eaton's 1-2-2 zone for a floater in the lane, recorded a steal just seconds later, then had an and-1 to make it 15-6. Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 2 Mar. 2022 The former seemed to rise up for a floater, but instead pushed a lob to the center, who threw it down. Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 Feb. 2022 Weekley then made one of his three steals in the quarter and fed McClain for a baseline floater. Rick Armstrong, chicagotribune.com, 12 Feb. 2022 See More
Nicole Yang, BostonGlobe.com, 21 May 2022 White looks to rebound: Derrick White spent extra time working on his floater Monday after missing two open layups in a rough start to his Game 1 experience. Mark Murphy, Hartford Courant, 2 May 2022 Pulliam shot faked a 3 and dribbled toward the free-throw line for his patented floater. San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Mar. 2022 His rainbow floater, over the outstretched hands of a Westlake defender in the paint, wowed the crowed and got the Bears within 56-50 with 5:09 left in the game. David Dekunder, San Antonio Express-News, 5 Mar. 2022 Akinjo put Baylor ahead for good with a floater high off the glass for a 45-44 lead not long after Miles had put TCU up by eight with a four-point play. Schuyler Dixon, ajc, 9 Jan. 2022 Pohlen followed by splitting Eaton's 1-2-2 zone for a floater in the lane, recorded a steal just seconds later, then had an and-1 to make it 15-6. Shelby Dermer, The Enquirer, 2 Mar. 2022 The former seemed to rise up for a floater, but instead pushed a lob to the center, who threw it down. Eric Walden, The Salt Lake Tribune, 12 Feb. 2022 Weekley then made one of his three steals in the quarter and fed McClain for a baseline floater. Rick Armstrong, chicagotribune.com, 12 Feb. 2022 See More Word History
First Known Use
1717, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Medical Definition
floater
noun
float·er ˈflōt-ər
: a bit of optical debris (as a dead cell or cell fragment) in the vitreous body or lens that may be perceived as a spot before the eye
also : a spot in the visual field due to such debris —usually used in plural compare muscae volitantes
Legal Definition
floater
noun
float·er
1
[from the notion that the policy “floats” with the goods it insures, wherever they might be located] : a policy or supplemental attachment to a policy insuring specific items of personal property (as jewelry or art)
specifically : a policy of insurance to protect against loss or damage of goods in transit or goods (as jewels) naturally subject to use in various places
called also floating policy
2
: a debt security that yields an indexed variable rate of interest
especially : floating rate note at note